REVERSE ENGINEERING CASE STUDY

From Physical to Digital: VW Golf Mk7 Interior Trim Recreation

Leveraging advanced 3D scanning and additive manufacturing to recreate complex automotive interior components with precise fitment.

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Overview

Interior trim components often face wear, damage, or unavailability. This case study demonstrates how our reverse engineering process successfully recreated a Volkswagen Golf Mk7 dashboard trim piece, complete with complex mounting features and precise surface details.

The Challenge

The project required exact replication of not just the visible surfaces, but also the critical mounting clips and attachment points that ensure proper fitment within the vehicle's center console. Success demanded perfect geometric accuracy to maintain the original part's snap-fit functionality and aesthetic alignment.

Process Workflow

01 - Initial Scanning

Using high-precision 3D scanning technology, we captured:

Exterior surface geometry and textures
Critical mounting clip locations and geometries
Interface surfaces and alignment features
Overall part dimensions and tolerances

03 - CAD Reconstruction

Converting scan data to parametric CAD involved:

Creating precise mounting clip geometry
Defining snap-fit features
Maintaining surface continuity
Ensuring wall thickness requirements
Verifying all mounting points

02 - Data Processing

The scan data underwent rigorous processing to:

Clean and optimize mesh data
Verify geometric accuracy
Define critical mounting features
Preserve surface details

04 - Additive Manufacturing

Using the Formlabs Form 3L printer, we:

Selected appropriate grey resin material
Optimized print orientation
Maintained critical tolerances
Achieved required surface finish

SIMSCAN

SIMSCAN by Scantech is a game-changing 3D scanning system that offers high-precision scanning of complex objects with speed and ease. Its advanced technology enables the user to scan objects of any size, shape, and texture, and it can be used in various industries such as design, engineering, and quality control....

Form 4L

Form 4L/ 4BL is the newest, blazing fast large-format SLA printer that unlocks extreme speed, reliability, and print quality - at any scale. Together with the versatile Formlabs materials catalog, Form 4L and its biocompatible version Form 4BL unlock new opportunities for innovation, prototyping and production.